T&P sent
katie: if you have any specific medicine related questions, send me a PM as I might be of some help. Cellulitis is a simple bacterial infection of the skin that can usually be treated with antibiotics. Lyme Disease and Herpes Zoster (ie shingles) can also cause skin pain, rash/lesions and some possible nerve damage such as in Bell's Palsy. It is hard at times to diagnose either of these, especially Lyme. Herpes-Zoster can sometimes be diagnosed by a viral culture of a skin lesion. As for lyme disease, usually all that can be determined is if one has been exposed to Lyme (ie have antibodies against lyme) but not necessarily if it active disease or the cause of the problem.
It is good that he is being seen by an ID specialist; as they should be able to sort these things out. I am a bit biased towards Boston
, but I would not go pushing him to be transferred jsut yet.